Coleman All-Weather Multi-Layer Review

The Coleman All-Weather Multi-Layer Sleeping Bag is quite a mouthful, but it describes this bag well. After our first night in this bundle of goodness, the first description that came to our minds was tiramisu. This bag is stacked with fluffy layers, allowing it to be customized to almost every temperature. We were impressed with the comfort and warmth at varying temps. Hunkering down into this bag is like sleeping in your favorite bed, with your favorite sheets, your favorite comforter, and your favorite stuffed animal(?). It's comfy, soft, and extremely simple, yet quite innovative.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

What kind of warmth do you need? From Summer nights to chilly Fall mountain air, the Multi-Layer has you covered. At first glance, we thought this bag might be a little bit gimmicky; however, after spending just one night in it with temps in the upper 20s (F), our opinions quickly changed. This bag's layering system is legitimate and offers users some of the most extensive, interchangeable layering options we've ever seen. As already mentioned, this bag consists of two separately rated sleeping bags that can be combined or detached easily. Each has its own independent temperature rating. Users can pick the outer bag for colder nights or sleep in the inner bag on warmer nights. For the coldest of nights, combine the two bags and enjoy the warmth that comes from a bag with a 0-degree F rating. Additionally, the Multi-Layer comes with a detachable fleece blanket that can be used by itself for warm summer nights or added to any of the layering combinations for increased warmth.

We tested every layering option and felt each performed well. When placed all together, we found the layers to stack up against the cold for the most part, resulting in high warmth ratings. One aspect of the brushed polyester that we loved is it evenly maintains temperature, resulting a much warmer feel. Often, with slick polyester shells and liners, the fabric has a tendency to heat quickly but also chill quickly and remain cold, giving sleepers unwanted icy spots during the night. One drawback of the Multi-Layer's softer fabric is it doesn't resist water very well. Its shell absorbs water like a blanket or towel, whereas the outer shell of other bags we tested repel water more effectively.

One key subjective complaint that kept us from giving the bag higher scores for warmth: We never felt really toasty. We've tested dozens of 0-degree bags in the past. The ones that really stood out were those that were so warm we slept through the night without giving the cold air around us a second thought. This was not the case with the Multi-Layer. It kept us warm enough, but for a 0-degree bag, we were slightly disappointed that we could never quite completely settle in and relax when temps really dropped. Most folks, though, won't head out in such temps, so consider your planned use to see if this matters to you.

Comfort

Upon unrolling Multi-Layer for the first time, we immediately felt it would receive high marks for comfort. Our hunch was correct. This bag is soft, plush, and heavy, with enough natural fluff to make us question at times whether we were in our own beds. As mentioned, we specifically enjoyed the evenness of the fabric's temperature and its ability to repel cold spots.

Soft, brushed polyester fabric comes with one noticeable drawback — it's naturally grabby. This is great for holding pillows in place, but not as convenient when it comes to twisting and turning during the night. Although comfortable to the touch, the Multi-Layer's fabric is no exception. It naturally holds onto long underwear, socks, or even skin, and tends to twist with you as you find a new position during the night. In particular, the detachable fleece blanket easily bunched up and needed to be readjusted at times throughout the night. We still absolutely love the feel of the fabric; however, it required realizing that velvety soft comes with the trade-off of being a little grabby. If you happen to be a sleeper that moves a lot during the night, a silkier polyester lined bag may be something to consider.

Features

The Multi-Layer's most appealing feature is its unparalleled, general versatility. We were repeatedly impressed with the options its layering system provided us. For warm nights, simply sleep on top of the entire bag and wrap yourself with the bag's removable fleece blanket. For cooler nights, use the inner white bag, with or without the fleece blanket. For colder nights, sleep comfortably in the outer blue bag, without the fleece blanket. For maximum warmth, combine all three layers to keep you toasty all night long. Not only is this bag very versatile, but it's also straightforward to lock the layers in place.

The manufacturer boasts a "Roll Control" feature, which claims to help users easily roll the bag up for storage. We feel the bag's multiple layers create an unsteady base for rolling, resulting in a lot of tucking and adjusting to create a half-decent spiral. In short, we didn't exactly enjoy rolling this bag up. However, once rolled and locked, it does fit easily into its carrying tote. Our final complaint is we feel the bag needs a drawstring for cinching the top opening around the shoulders. This feature is a simple addition, and would have been welcomed during some of our colder nights in the woods.

Packed size

It likely goes without saying that the Multi-Layer has a larger packed size than most bags. That said, it does fit nicely into an over-sized, square-shaped tote, complete with shoulder strap. However, as already mentioned, the first step of rolling this bag into a tight spiral takes a little effort — and it never seemed to end up very tight or spiraled.

Value

The Coleman All-Weather Multi-Layer Sleeping Bag pretty much says it all. The name could use a little work, but the manufacturer hit the bulls eye in terms of value, due to this bag's versatility. We feel this bag is worth it to buyers looking for a good general-purpose bag.

Conclusion

For a company traditionally known for producing dozens of basic, no-frills sleeping bags, Coleman really surprised us with the quality, function, and practicality of the Multi-Layer. It's innovative, relentlessly versatile, unique, and comfortable. We struggled to find anything we absolutely didn't like about this bag. However, we were a little disappointed that we never felt overwhelmingly warm during the coldest nights. Overall, this bag is an affordable treat for campers who like to enjoy the outdoors in a wide variety of climates and seasons.